Nearly all of the packets available will tell you the time it will take for the seeds to sprout and germinate. The packets will also say when is the optimal time to put the plant outdoors. Pay attention to what it says for your area and start your seeds accordingly. I don’t think you’ll want to have sprouts and no place to put them.

We all think that we will remember what we planted where, but let’s be serious all the seeds look nearly identical and so do the sprouts. That’s why you’ll want to mark them. You can use a popsicle stick of some tape to do so.

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Avoid these common seed starting mistakes:

Michelle Moore, the owner of The Greenhouse Catalog, offered up these easy tips to avoid the most common seed starting mistakes:

1. Over or under watering planting media and young seedlings.

Using a media like coconut pith or coir is a wonderful way to control the moisture content-especially if you water from the bottom. The coir wicks water as needed so seeds don’t get soggy. Don’t forget to add diluted fertilizer within 72 hours after the first leaves appear.

2.Growing in low-light conditions

South facing windows may work well, as long as the spot isn’t drafty and daylight lengths are greater than 12 hours. Supplementing with grow lights (up to 18 hours of light) will speed up growth. Make sure to read the directions for each grow light as it’s a common mistake to place the light source too far away from the plants.

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3. Temperatures too cool for optimal root growth

Cool temperatures on the surface encourage compact growth, but roots need warmth. Adding bottom heat with a seedling heat mat encourages healthy root growth, which makes for healthy plants. Make sure to use a media that won’t dry out too quickly with bottom heat.

4. Plant more than you’ll need

It’s also a good idea to plant more seeds than you will need. This will allow you to pick the healthiest starts to plant.

With these tips, you should now have enough to get your seeds started indoors this year.

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